Unexpected

[WAYBACK83]

Are todays happenings going like anybody imagined?

[orangeut]

The first 2 or 3 yes, but the last ones....no.

[WAYBACK83]

I wonder who the guys are, that we have previously offered, that a ship will still not be available for now.

[jtk1519]

Are todays happenings going like anybody imagined?

No.

[ok_horn]

No.

does the staff save room for the top tier guys or what? today's commits are all solid pickups, but i sure hope they save room for some of the top 15 guys......

[naija]

Only because you set your expectation by what the recruiting services say. If you follow Mack's track record, yes, surprises in the form of previously unknown recruits should be expected.

[jtk1519]

does the staff save room for the top tier guys or what? today's commits are all solid pickups, but i sure hope they save room for some of the top 15 guys......

The staff has room for the player's they want. Those "tiers" are established in large part by the Ketch's of the world who hide in recruit's bushes.

[ToY]

The staff has room for the player's they want. Those "tiers" are established in large part by the Ketch's of the world who hide in recruit's bushes.

Exactly. Ever notice how the top players on these lists are the ones who haven't who commit late so you'll keep your subscription?

[naija]

I will say, despite my low opinion of Ketchum, there are some guys--no matter which recruiting service you subscribe to--simply judging by their offers and the pursuit of college coaches seem to be a cut above the rest, and at 17 commitments, I'm wondering just exactly how many of those we are going to take or wait for.

In that sense, I guess you could say I'm curious. Solid recruits are good, but gamebreakers are what win MNCs.

[ok_horn]

I will say, despite my low opinion of Ketchum, there are some guys--no matter which recruiting service you subscribe to--simply judging by their offers and the pursuit of college coaches seem to be a cut above the rest, and at 17 commitments, I'm wondering just exactly how many of those we are going to take or wait for.

In that sense, I guess you could say I'm curious. Solid recruits are good, but gamebreakers are what win MNCs.

that's what i am wondering as well..... strange.

[victory88]

These kids just finished their junior seasons. The guys that are ranked on Ketch's list are guys that have attended camps and have promoted themselves. It's much easier for OOS schools to notice these kids and offer them first. OOS state schools are not going to invest as much time and money recruiting Texas as they are recruiting their own area. Texas, ou, a&m and LSU(to a certain degree) are going to able to see these hear about these kids from the high school coaches before guys like Carroll, Meyer, Richt, Weiss, etc are. Guys like Jones, Daniels, Apo, Tevin Jackson, Phillips, Brandon Jackson and others might be getting on the scene a little later. The LSR is going to change 10 more times before its all said and done. I'm going to go ahead and say that Greg Daniels ( who had offers from the 2 elite schools, Texas and ou) is going to be much better than guys on the LSR such as Holmes Onwukaife, Joeseph Okafor, and others.

Our staff has also had alot more time to evalute these kids than OOS schools. Right now we are filling up our need positions.

We will hold our last spots for Seastrunk, Wilson, Jeffcoat, Matthews, and both Whites just like we did last year for the last few elite players. However, we're not probably not going to get all of those. If I were a betting man, i'd say we get both whites and maybe matthews. As time passes, the staff will offer other solid guys so we don't end up with nothing when guys like Wilson decide to go elsewhere.

[WAYBACK83]

Victory 88

That is more of what I was wondering; I agree that the recruiting services have their agenda. Mack & his talented company of evaluators have 10 offers out that were previous to this weekend. Just was wondering what everybody thought about who we would and would not get from those.

[victory88]

Victory 88

That is more of what I was wondering; I agree that the recruiting services have their agenda. Mack & his talented company of evaluators have 10 offers out that were previous to this weekend. Just was wondering what everybody thought about who we would and would not get from those.

Hicks, Cobbs, Reed, Seastrunk, Adrian White, Darius White, Matthews, Nelson, Wilson, Jeffcoat, Apo, Peterson

It seems like those are the only guys out there with offers. Anyone else you all can think of?

Good chance- both Whites, Apo
decent chance- Hicks, Cobbs
a little less than decent- Seastrunk, Jeffcoat, Matthews
little to no chance- Nelson, Wilson.

i really have no clue about Reed and Peterson. I want to put Reed in the little to no chance because i think he'll be hard to pull away from LSU. As for Peterson, it's way too early, but i've heard he's pretty much ou bound.

[dontlookatme]

I think we have a better chance with Wilson, than little to no chance.

Right now it seems to be 50-50 with UT and OU.

I'd also say we have a Decent chance with Seastrunk. He's not going to LSU's upcoming junior day. Sure we might have to wait for him, but I'd say he probably feels more comfortable with Texas right now than any other program out there.

[Beef]

I think Seastrunk will be a long, drawn out recruiting process. I know one of his high school coaches and he says he is pulled a lot of ways, by a lot of people.

[WAYBACK83]

I think I agree with most of you, we wait until whenever for Jeffcoat and Seastrunk. As far as the others - how long do we wait for Matthews before going after Washington? Was Shaun Lewis here and was he offered? (as a replacement for Nelson). I thought I read where Reed was a package deal kinda thing with Lache; maybe that was wrong.

And since it might have a bearing on LS, has anybody heard how Bryce Brown's visit to lesterland went?

[ok_horn]

Hicks, Cobbs, Reed, Seastrunk, Adrian White, Darius White, Matthews, Nelson, Wilson, Jeffcoat, Apo, Peterson

It seems like those are the only guys out there with offers. Anyone else you all can think of?

Good chance- both Whites, Apo
decent chance- Hicks, Cobbs
a little less than decent- Seastrunk, Jeffcoat, Matthews
little to no chance- Nelson, Wilson.

i really have no clue about Reed and Peterson. I want to put Reed in the little to no chance because i think he'll be hard to pull away from LSU. As for Peterson, it's way too early, but i've heard he's pretty much ou bound.

so apo got an offer?

[orangeut]

yes, Apo offered today. No commitment yet.

[ok_horn]

don't understand that one....

[dontlookatme]

the kid will be 20 years old next year. There is a good chance he will go on a two year Mormon mission so would be a lot like Quan in that when he isn't here he's doesn't count against our numbers, even though Quan was playing baseball not building houses for poor kids. He played varsity at Trinity his freshman year which means he obviously has some talent even though he is at a smaller private school now. Looks like he has some pretty good measurable 6-3 190lbs.

[closetojumping]

I think anyone saying they expected all of these offers and acceptances to play out as they did is lying. Or they are on the staff. The in-betweeners from the joe-fans to the staff, such as the boosters and connected gurus, they didn't know all of this. I know that point to be fact.

Look, a lot of people felt pretty good about understanding the line of thought going into the first Jr Day that Mike Davis wouldn't be offered, but John Harris would. Not everyone agreed, but a lot of folks knew it was coming. How many people saw the Tevin Jackson/Philips commits from Garland happening? That answer is an asymptote hovering slightly north of zero for folks not on the staff. After watching film, it is easy to understand both guys as takes. It is also easy to understand the recruiting services missing on some guys here and there, this early. But virtually no one expected it.

The same can be said today. I knew with a pretty good amount of certainty that Jackson and Shead would be offered and they'd commit. I was excited like anybody else that heard and thought about it that those guys were coming. The rest? No. Some might have thought about Espinosa as a possible offer and commit, but most bet the other way. As to Jones and Daniels, dude, the services, and I mean none of them, even mention those guys. Apo was not on the radar until this week for most folks. There is no way to credibly claim that these commits were expected. Someone can claim that someone unknown was bound to be offered and committed. That I buy. But it stops there. Specifics were unknown and unexpected.

I think what we're seeing is two things.

1) We're more aggressively evaluating talent in our backyard than we have in a while. This is the first time since Michael Huff that I felt like the staff just flat out outhustled everyone on guys that can truly ball. Since Huff, the players have either been obvious, or camp fever types that we saw coming ahead of the junior day. Or I felt like Ketchum was being lazy (see Ben Wells). If the guys today are at all like Philips and TJackson, the staff just got it done.

2) The numbers are not what they appear to be. We're not going to stop at 18-20. We're going to take who we want to take, and we think there is going to be some significant attrition soon anyway, I have to guess. The Whites, Wilson, Hicks, Cobbs, Jeffcoat, Seastrunk, Mathews, another DT. These are players that we'll have spots for if they want to come this way. I will be shocked if we turn any of them away, and shocked if they all come this way. I do think we sign 23-25 guys. I also think Nelson is over and done with, no prayer of changing.

I am anxious to see footage of John Harris, Chris Jones, and Daniels. The early take on Jones that I've heard is that he's been stolen and will wind up being someone that we can't believe wasn't ranked. Hope that is right.

[ok_horn]

I think anyone saying they expected all of these offers and acceptances to play out as they did is lying. Or they are on the staff. The in-betweeners from the joe-fans to the staff, such as the boosters and connected gurus, they didn't know all of this. I know that point to be fact.

Look, a lot of people felt pretty good about understanding the line of thought going into the first Jr Day that Mike Davis wouldn't be offered, but John Harris would. Not everyone agreed, but a lot of folks knew it was coming. How many people saw the Tevin Jackson/Philips commits from Garland happening? That answer is an asymptote hovering slightly north of zero for folks not on the staff. After watching film, it is easy to understand both guys as takes. It is also easy to understand the recruiting services missing on some guys here and there, this early. But virtually no one expected it.

The same can be said today. I knew with a pretty good amount of certainty that Jackson and Shead would be offered and they'd commit. I was excited like anybody else that heard and thought about it that those guys were coming. The rest? No. Some might have thought about Espinosa as a possible offer and commit, but most bet the other way. As to Jones and Daniels, dude, the services, and I mean none of them, even mention those guys. Apo was not on the radar until this week for most folks. There is no way to credibly claim that these commits were expected. Someone can claim that someone unknown was bound to be offered and committed. That I buy. But it stops there. Specifics were unknown and unexpected.

I think what we're seeing is two things.

1) We're more aggressively evaluating talent in our backyard than we have in a while. This is the first time since Michael Huff that I felt like the staff just flat out outhustled everyone on guys that can truly ball. Since Huff, the players have either been obvious, or camp fever types that we saw coming ahead of the junior day. Or I felt like Ketchum was being lazy (see Ben Wells). If the guys today are at all like Philips and TJackson, the staff just got it done.

2) The numbers are not what they appear to be. We're not going to stop at 18-20. We're going to take who we want to take, and we think there is going to be some significant attrition soon anyway, I have to guess. The Whites, Wilson, Hicks, Cobbs, Jeffcoat, Seastrunk, Mathews, another DT. These are players that we'll have spots for if they want to come this way. I will be shocked if we turn any of them away, and shocked if they all come this way. I do think we sign 23-25 guys. I also think Nelson is over and done with, no prayer of changing.

I am anxious to see footage of John Harris, Chris Jones, and Daniels. The early take on Jones that I've heard is that he's been stolen and will wind up being someone that we can't believe wasn't ranked. Hope that is right.

well i feel better about everything.... great post.

[jtk1519]

I do think this class will be up to 25 strong. Mack said back in Feb. that he was guessing we would sign 18-22 for '10 and I think his strategy so far indicates he expects a couple more ships to be free to use.

[AbeFroman]

One of the things this says to me is that were going to see a lot more of a Tech style offense with Gilbert at the helm. They are loading up at Wide Receiver and not nary a whiff of a Tight End this year.
Even with all the offers already out to wide outs, it's really hard for me to believe that Darius White does not still have a ship here if he wants it, and Cobbs also for that matter. White looks Moss-esque, can't pass that up.
This is obviously barring other issues that maybe we don't know about, academics, or off the field.

[naija]

Terrell is being recruited as a probable TE.

[WAYBACK83]

I still think you will see a Tight End in the offense because of the options it gives you - run blocking, pass protection, receiving. It will be a more athletic type of TE, Jermichael Finley vs. Greg Smith. I think Darius will be able to grow into that role really well.

[jt]

in my head, i know all of those things v88 and ctj posted, but the emotional side of me can poke it's head up and let me doubt at times. you guys did a great job in those posts. i'm right in my head again.

[orangeut]

great post ctj. I enjoy your insights on Barking Carnival also.

[jtk1519]

You can find a place for an athlete like that. Put him at TE or DE where he has the speed or he has the frame to bulk up to a DT or even OL if he's capable.